My Life to Live
by trinity6diversia
Summary: Anakin Skywalker is a lot of things.  Former Jedi, master mechanic, just as stubborn, just as crazy.  But he's also a husband and a father, and in his mind, as long as those two things are at the top, he doesn't need anything else.
1. Chapter 1

**I started this a while ago, and never thought I'd publish it because it was too... out there. Whacky, if you will. But after that lame excuse for an update on one of my other stories, I thought I'd brighten everyone's day by bringing this out of the closet. I like this story because it's... real. And after rereading it, I realize just the kind of writer I am. I write something, hate it because it doesn't sound real, then go back and read it, and realize that it's more real than not. I hope everyone sort of understands that.**

**Anyway, it's been so long, I can't honestly remember what this story is about, or the point of it. I think I started it before "For Every Moment". The Author's Note makes it seem that way. If anyone has a suggestion for a continuation on it, please feel free. It might end up being my "go-to story" for those days when I don't want to write about the hard part of life.**

**Anyway, enjoy! And please review. :)**

**t6d**

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes (PLEASE READ TO UNDERSTAND STORY) <span>

This is a major A.U., and not common in the Star Wars fan-fiction world. Well, either that or I've completely missed it. Which may be for the better, since this is fresh of my mind, and not littered by the writings of others. And I make no offense to the others. I've found writers of fan-fictions to be brilliant, and quite skilled in the art.

Since this story won't do it for you, I feel I must clarify some things before you begin. You might notice, and not like, the fact that Luke is not in this story. That's because, in this alternate universe, Luke does not exist. And none of the characters will mention him because, quite simply, he never was and never will be. This, of course, is subject to change, since I am writing this note as the first thing I do, and I may become inspired and throw Luke in anyway. Or a form of Luke, at least.

At this moment, I have no intention of having Palpatine as the main villain. Palpatine has and always will creep me out. So I will be using Palpatine's predecessor, Vader, as the main villain, since he was the only bad guy Leia ever had contact with in the movies, and I have no wish to change that. In my opinion, she didn't _need_ to meet Palpatine. I may change Vader's name to avoid confusion, since Vader is simply Vader, evil through and through, and not Anakin.

Anyway, this fanfic was inspired by… in all honestly, I don't know what. I was listening to the song "Not Alone", and got hit with a video idea, to show what might have happened if Anakin hadn't fallen, and if he'd been left to raise Leia himself. I wanted to show that bond, that every father and daughter share, to a degree. The "I hate you, but I'll always love you" kind of bond. The one people can relate to.

So now it's your turn. Can you relate?

{trinity6diversia}

* * *

><p>Chapter One<p>

Anakin took a heavy breath as he sat down on his side of the bed and started pulling off his boots, careful not to wake Padmé. He glanced over at her, sleeping soundly, and couldn't help but notice the lines on her face, and how her cheeks were slightly pale, and not the healthy pink he'd grown to love. He smiled grimly to himself, not sure if he should be worried or mesmerized. He could almost hear Padmé's voice in his head, saying the same thing she always did when he made mention of her health.

"I'm fine, Ani, believe me. I'm not supposed to look like a porcelain doll. No mother ever did, until their kids were old enough to leave home. And even then. But listen to me, Ani. If you fret a moment longer, I'll keep you home from work tomorrow. Of the two of us, you look the worst, and I don't think you can blame it on lack of sleep."

"Oh, I think I can," he always answered, with that devilish grin of his, then he'd swoop her into his arms, only to be sobered an instant later by the cry of a baby, just wanting some of the attention to be on her.

Anakin smiled at the memory, almost wishing Padmé was awake now to say what she always said. But looking at her sleeping face, he took that wish back. She was tired, and sleep would do her good. He sighed again, shrugging out of his tunic as he did so, glad he'd been in the office all day, and not in the shop.

It had been a long day. Anakin had been on his toes since dawn, waking early to the sound of an unhappy baby, which allowed Padmé a couple more hours of sleep. He had fixed breakfast, which was the daily routine. When Padmé woke up before him, she made breakfast, and vice versa. But today he cooked, and so the food was just being laid out when Padmé came down yawning. Then while she ate, Anakin had fed baby Leia, for what seemed the millionth time that day, and when the little princess had finished, he'd made for the door, only to be stopped by Padmé, who forced me to eat his breakfast, which he'd clearly forgotten about.

Leaving Padmé to clean up, Anakin had bolted for the shop, where he'd worked as fast as he could to get her speeder up and running before she had to go out and do their weekly grocery shopping. It was a simple mistake of a mother with a baby contending for her attention. And Padmé had made it full and well. Instead of registered fuel in that tank, she'd filled it with fuel that only ran the city's errand droids. There was a difference. And she'd been thoroughly shaken by the experience so much so that Anakin had chosen not to give her too hard of a time. But that morning, he gritted his teeth anyway as he tried to flush the tank.

Then Padmé had come out with baby Leia strapped comfortably in the carry-seat, and for a moment Anakin forgot everything. She was wearing one of her nicer every-day dresses, with her hair pulled up simply and some plain walking shoes on her feet, but Anakin thought he was coming face to face with an angel. Again. What was it about Padmé that always hit him like this?

And Padmé, seeing him staring, only smiled, then started to swing her hips in a sassy manner, and not the manner of a new mother, and Anakin laughed, pulling quickly from his reverie. He'd helped her secure Leia's carry-seat in the speeder, then had taken her hand and helped into the driver's seat. Then he'd leaned down and kissed her, and off she went, scarf flying behind her in the breeze, and sunglasses covering her eyes fully, and she waved back at him, eyes never leaving the road. And he shook his head, amazed for the trillionth time that day that she was his wife.

Anakin hadn't dawdled, for he was already half an hour late to work. He broke more than a few laws in his haste, and when his beat-up speeder pulled up in front of Jedi Command Post outside town, Obi-Wan was there, staring at his watch and tapping his fingers impatiently. He only looked up when Anakin's speeder blew a gasket in protest of the harsh maneuvers it had been forced to pull, but Anakin wasn't about to let Obi-Wan match the explosion with one of his own, so he left his poor speeder and hurried to his Master, arranging his robes as he did so.

"Where have you been?" demanded Obi-Wan, his voice failing to hide his rage.

"Forgive me, Master," answered Anakin regretfully. "I came as fast as I could."

"It wasn't fast enough," snapped Obi-Wan, as they turned to enter the building. He took a deep breath as they reached the doors and paused. "We need to talk, Anakin." Then he opened the doors and disappeared inside.

Anakin paused, not liking the sound of that. He had known from the beginning that he'd eventually have to face his Master and the Council. Returning had never been something he was eager to do, but he knew it was the right thing. He didn't have to run it by Padmé because he knew what she would say, one way or another.

It had been a year, almost exactly, since Anakin and Padmé had disappeared. The decision had been made shortly after his return from the Outer Rim Sieges. He'd been assailed that first night home by a nagging feeling on his mind, which he had brushed aside in his frenetic haste to be with his wife again. The feeling had returned every night for a month, giving him no rest, until he was sure he would go crazy. By then, Padmé was six months pregnant with their child, and hiding the pregnancy was becoming increasingly difficult.

Call it fate, if you will. One day, Padmé was scheduled to take her personal skiff to the other side of Coruscant for an important meeting that would decide the end of the war. It was the wish of every person in the galaxy, but the Separatists loathed the idea, and there was a Sith located on the planet who had ideas of his own. He had ordered the planting of a bomb, that was scheduled to go off within the Senator's skiff when it was well on it's way. She would be killed, of that he was certain.

But a certain Jedi Knight had other ideas.

It just so happened that Anakin had been kept away from Padmé for longer than he liked. The Council had given him no rest, and he'd been forced to be available as Obi-Wan was preparing for his trip to Utupa and the hunt for Grevious. Now that Obi-Wan was gone, Anakin had finally been given some slack, and the Council was demanding he take some time off to get himself back in order. So, naturally, the first place he went was 500 Republica, and as such, Padmé had been forced into delaying her departure so that she might see to the needs of her husband.

The bomb went off, and with it went Captain Typho and the entire crew of the skiff, but Padmé's life had been spared. At least, that's what Anakin thought, as he had watched the burning wreckage from their bedroom window, thanking every god he knew that Padmé hadn't been on board, and glancing often at her prone form on the bed, as if he couldn't believe she was still with him.

Padmé had fainted as soon as she'd heard the news.

But though she was very much alive, the rest of Coruscant was given a different story, and by that evening, memorial services were being held across the galaxy for the brave Senator from Naboo who had dared to oppose the war.

Anakin had lost no time, for he had no time, nor patience. He had no idea what he was doing, but he knew he was doing something. He had packed Padmé's things, as best he knew how, and when she had regained consciousness, her bags were packed and Anakin was lifting her up to put a heavy cloak over her shoulders, as a shield against the bitter Coruscant wind. Then they had hurried through their dark, silent penthouse, and taken the servant's elevator to the main floor, just in time to see investigators and security rushing for the lifts to the Senator's apartment.

Padmé had not asked questions. Anakin didn't even have to ask her. When they were at the Shuttle Charting Headquarters, she'd handed over the money without hesitation, and in moments they'd purchased a beat-up piece of junk that made Anakin grimace before he'd even laid eyes on it. It's name was the Millennium Falcon, and though it was no beauty outside, Anakin soon learned that it was perfectly fine where it mattered. And that was not the inside, which was dirty and dank. Padmé cringed as she eyed it, and Anakin had given her a look that said, _Don't you dare complain._ So she hadn't.

Then they were shooting through the atmosphere, in no way challenged, for who would expect the world's most brilliant pilot and the newly deceased Senator to be flying a piece of junk away from Coruscant? And yet they were.

The journey was long and hard, for Anakin had insisted on covering their tracks, which added a few more days to their trip. And when they had finally reached a simple, down-low type of planet situated within the Mid-Rim, commonly called Tynardo, Padmé was more than happy to set foot on solid ground, and swore never to fly again. They stayed in a hotel for a few days before finding a steal on a piece of land outside town. Then, since they didn't want to let on about their wealth, they'd sold the Falcon to a gambler by the name of Lando Calrission, and bought the land.

Two months later, though earlier than they had expected, Leia Naberrie Skywalker was born, and she was a strong, healthy baby. Anakin's heart was stolen the moment he looked into her big, brown eyes, and Padmé feared she'd lost her husband completely, until he'd gazed at her with a look that spelled trouble.

At the same time as Leia's birth, Obi-Wan had exhausted his supply of knowledge on Coruscant. He'd successfully tracked down and destroyed General Grevious, only to learn quite a bit of disturbing news from the Jedi Council. Apparently, an assassination attempt had been made on Senator Amidala's life… again, and to everyone's knowledge, she was dead. No one thought to consider otherwise.

They had tracked the attempt to a Sith apprentice by the name of Vader, dressed in black from head to toe, with a heavy mask, no doubt hiding what remained of his twisted and broken body. And from him, for his mind was easy to read, the Jedi had tracked down Chancellor Palpatine as the Sith Lord they had been looking for, and Vader's Master.

The Jedi suffered greatly when they confronted Palpatine, but Master Windu and Master Yoda had quickly overpowered him, learning from his own lips the attempts made to turn Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side. Dreams he'd sent, and none got through. The strength of Skywalker's will-power had astounded the old man.

Then, as these memories circulated, Obi-Wan, not knowing of Leia's birth, had passed a weary hand over his eyes.

Anakin, oh yes, his one-time Padawan, had disappeared. And he guessed the reason. With Senator Amidala dead, the young man was no doubt confused and conflicted, not to mention angry. And so Obi-Wan had ordered a hasty retrieval party, though not too hasty, so that the man would be given enough time to get himself properly sorted.

For ten months the Clone troops under Obi-Wan's command searched high and low for Anakin Skywalker. But the Jedi Knight was too witty, and he had covered his tracks well. They had seen nor heard anything from him, or of him, and in all honesty, they hadn't even come close. Obi-Wan had sent them to search the Outer Rim, certain that Anakin would try to blend in with the common people of those planets, and he might have, had the young Knight not also known his Master well. Anakin had predicted such a move, and as such, had avoided the Outer Rim altogether. Clone forces never even came to the Tynardo.

So that year passed, with Obi-Wan searched, and Anakin watching his every move, for he was able to manipulate the Force so that he might tap into the minds of Force-users and yet they would not detect it. _One of the perks of being the Chosen One_, he thought rather smugly from time to time, and it was true. And so he watched, and while he watched he took side jobs, repairing things and building things, a genius as the people said. And though he worked hard, he was considered a fair man, never demanding money from those who couldn't pay, for money was not an issue. The money that remained of Padmé's former income was far more than any decent couple would need, and they used it as necessary. Smalltalk in the community often pressed into this, but the common assumption was that Padmé had come from a wealthy family, and seeking normality, had eloped with her love and now was living a simple life away from the grandeur of the rich. _It's a good story_, Anakin often thought, grimly.

Eventually, one thing lead to another, and Anakin was tired of watching Obi-Wan explain to the Council why his apprentice had simply disappeared, and how he couldn't find him. So, while Obi-Wan was on a mission with his troops, and thus away from Coruscant, Anakin contacted him and asked him if they might meet at the Jedi Command Post on Tynardo. It was a leap, for Anakin had avoided the Command Post, cursing it's existence on that planet, and had successfully skirted detection. But now, he knew there was no sense in hiding, and he had a lot to answer to.

Those within the Command Post were not surprised when they saw Anakin and Obi-Wan enter. Every Jedi in the galaxy knew of young Skywalker's disappearance, but were confident that he would either give himself up or Obi-Wan would find him. And so it had happened, and they saw no reason to be surprised by it.

Through many hallways and up many staircases Obi-Wan and Anakin walked, in silence, and from time to time, Obi-Wan would glance at his former apprentice and wonder why he couldn't sense him. And Anakin knew what he was thinking, and as such, his resolve tightened. If he let himself back into the two-way Force, the Council would know where he was, and he couldn't promise to ignore thoughts of Padmé and Leia. They would find out in moments. And so he kept his mind shut tightly, and Obi-Wan, though infuriated by this, said nothing.

At last they reached a meditation room, Obi-Wan's, for his stay on Tynardo, and when Anakin had taken a seat, his Master waved a hand vaguely about the place.

"I can pull some strings…" he started slowly, but Anakin quickly cut him off.

"I have accommodations," he answered, receiving a life of the eyebrow from Obi-Wan. But the Master said nothing and took a seat across from him.

"Now," he said, again slowly, but with purpose. "We talk."

"Fine," was Anakin's singular reply, leaning back in his chair as he spoke, and hooking Obi-Wan with his piercing gaze.

Silence reigned for a moment longer, but just when Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak, Anakin's comm started beeping. Obi-Wan shut his mouth hard, his eyebrows narrowing, as Anakin slid the comm over one ear for privacy.

"Yup?" answered the young Knight in a very casual manner, and Obi-Wan regarded him curiously, wondering who it was he was speaking to. There was a pause. "Well, did you press her or just let her go easy, like I told you to?" Another pause. "And when did that happen?" A longer pause. "Where are you?" He sighed and leaned further into his chair. "Alright, well, don't freak out, if you use that emergency battery I put in there, you should get back in one piece. Then just wait for me. Alright?" A very short pause. "Don't worry, we'll get there, today, I promise. Get some rest. I'll be there… you know… sometime." Another pause. "Yeah, I _meant_ sometime." A small chuckle. "Duty calls, what can I say?" Then he suddenly grew serious and used the code they'd perfected during the Clone Wars, when they were always being watched. "I'm in the clouds. Over and out."

Then he hung up, and put away the comm, once more meeting Obi-Wan's gaze with one of his own, unfaltering.

"Who was that?" asked Obi-Wan, still thinking himself the brains of the two.

"No one," answered Anakin, and his tone of voice told his old Master that when he _said_ no one, he _meant_ no one. Even when he didn't. So Obi-Wan didn't press, and silence reigned again for a split second.

"It will be a while," said the Jedi Master then, with a hint of suspicion in his voice, and Anakin grew weary just by thinking of the talk ahead of them. "I suggest you cancel anything you have planned for the rest of the day."

"No can do," was Anakin's immediate reply, hooking a leg up over one of the arms on the chair. "I'm jam-packed for the rest of the day, and it's this little thing called _life_ that has me booked, so I'm afraid I'll have to shorten our meeting to…" He glanced at his wrist-chrono. "…two hours, tops."

"_Life_, you said. And what, pray, does this _life_ of yours currently require of you?"

"A good deal," answered Anakin, and if he had come into the meeting intent on holding back the truth, he had no intention of doing so now. He figured he'd have to tell Obi-Wan anyway, and there was no use in stalling. Besides, he hated denying things, and he'd been doing it all his married life. That, there, _married_ was the evidence of _that_ statement.

"Now, let's see." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "To explain _life, _I'll start at the beginning, if you're alright with that. It all started when she put droid fuel in that damn gas tank instead of registered, but I guess I could be blamed partly for that. I was working on a Baldwin Two-Eight for a rich bastard, and should have let him keep his two grand and said to hell with it. We've got enough money to around for a while, and anyway, she only has two hands.

"As it were, the rich bastard _did_ keep his two grand, cause when she called me to say the Colbert wouldn't run, I had to drop everything and go out to tow her back in. No sense in calling someone out when she's only a few blocks down and I've got a piece of crap that works perfectly fine.

"But the Colbert was still dead, and we were so busy getting stuff done, that I didn't get around to fixing it until this morning. And I almost missed my breakfast to do it. I might have forgotten to wire something. Probably not. But I didn't get any sleep last night, which I'm alright with," he added rather defensively, "But I was still exhausted and she needed the Colbert to run errands. So, what can I say? The damn piece of crap is dead again, thankfully not all the way, so she can get home without me having to save her again, but that's just one more thing on my agenda. So you see, Obi-Wan, that's what I say when I mean _life_."

"I still don't get it."

Anakin sighed, exasperated, then forced his voice down.

"I have three things on my mind right now," he answered. "You, her, and the damn Colbert. Yes, the Colbert is a piece of junk that I should care less about, and it could burn for all I care. It _needs_ to go. I've fixed it too many times to count and I'm tired of it, so yes, I don't care what happens to it, she'll need a new one anyway.

"Then there's you, who I thoroughly enjoy talking to, but I've heard it all before, and quite frankly, Obi-Wan, I don't need to hear it again. Because the most important thing in my life right now isn't a damn speeder, or my old Master, but my _wife_, and my _daughter_, who, at this moment, are doing what they do every week, and yet, for some strange reason, at least it might seem strange to you, I would give _anything_ to be drug around town with them, right now. And, as it were, I still can, because now that the Colbert is dead, my wife is going to need me to go with her while she finishes her errands, and I'm more than happy to comply. So, that said, Obi-Wan, if you'd rather pick up on this at a later time, you're more than happy to come over for dinner tonight. Padmé is always eager to have guests, and a second opinion on the Colbert wouldn't hurt either. Oh, and everyone says Leia looks like me, but I still think she looks like Padmé, so maybe your fresh mind could clear that up for us."

Anakin slapped his hands down on the arm chairs and stood up, stretching. He stifled a yawn, then arranged his robes and held a hand out to Obi-Wan.

"Well, it was nice to talk to you again, Master. And, like I said, you're welcome to dinner tonight. It's good, home-cooked food, by me of course. Padmé can't cook worth anything. And you look like you could use some decent food for once." Anakin turned then. "I'll see myself out." Then he was gone, and silence permeated the room once more.

Obi-Wan couldn't think. His mind was a jumble of unanswered questions. He'd sat there, as Anakin had talked, stunned beyond words. His mouth was on the floor, he knew, but he couldn't help it. And he knew that Anakin had found it quite amusing, and had done it quite on purpose. Anakin never talked without pause. He just wasn't like that. And he never dwelled on anything, much less a Colbert. Maybe an X-Class, but _never_ a Colbert. Yes, it was clear that Anakin had enjoyed his Master's shock, and had quite exploited it. But now, the truth of the words were digesting in Obi-Wan's mind, and he felt himself shaking, either from rage or shock, he couldn't tell. Both, probably.

"Padmé," he whispered into the air. "She's… alive. And she's… _WIFE!_" He suddenly came alive, gripping the arms of his chair until his knuckles turned white. "Damn you, Anakin! I _knew_ I shouldn't have listened to the Council. And now you have a _daughter_, too, and it's all my fault because I didn't breech that one issue. Holy _crap_!" Then his head fell in his hands and he was suddenly too weak to do anything but… breathe.


	2. Chapter 2

**I think I may have to move the rating of this story up to M. There's no sex yet, but there are implications. I don't know, you guys tell me, do implications merit enough to increase the rating?**

**So, I know I shouldn't be writing right now, but I took the time to read over the first chapter, and I was freaking out because it was so amazing. I just had to go on. I meant to stop after two pages, but I figured, the last chapter was something like eight pages, so why do I have to stop? Everyone likes long updates. So here's a long update. :)**

**This chapter took about two hours to write. And I really like how it turned out. Please review and leave suggestions because, like I've said before, I LOVE getting reviews from you guys. And thanks to everyone for their support. You guys are INCREDIBLE!**

**t6d  
><strong>

**Chapter Two**

Padmé was tired. It was clear in the tone of her voice, and the way she held her hand to her head. She used to do that all the time when she was in the Senate. Anakin considered it her signature pose, and loved it.

"Oh Ani, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, love," he assured her, keeping his voice calm and easy-going. He wasn't mad at her. He had no reason to be. The situation with the Colbert was an honest mistake, and any _decent _vehicle would have gotten over it already. But as it were, the company that manufactured the Colbert model of speeder had somehow connected the energy supply line from the fuel tank to the battery module. Don't ask anyone _why_. There was no good reason.

Anakin hadn't bought the Colbert for practical reasons. He'd done his research, and discovered that most of the people who owned land on Tynardo drove Colbert's, for whatever reason. So he'd found a good deal on a new one and bought it for Padmé, just so they could fit in. It looked nice, but every time something went wrong with it, Anakin swore he should have bought a more expensive model that actually _ran_, instead of a damn Colbert.

As it were, Padmé hadn't been able to get home. Leia had decided to make a pretty big accident in her diaper and Padmé had been forced to pull into a service station and clean it up. When she tried to start the Colbert back up, it choked a few times and died. That's when she'd called Anakin the second time, just as he was leaving the Jedi Command Post, and now here he was, leaning over the damned engine and trying very hard to smile and appear calm. He was doing an amazing job.

"Get me that box from the trunk of my speeder, would you?" he grunted as his head disappeared inside the Colbert. Padmé stood straighter, relieved to finally have a task, and hurried to find the box. She opened her peripheral vision as far as it could go so she wouldn't loose sight of Leia, now sleeping soundly in her carry-seat. But she also saw something else, approaching from her other side, and when it stopped directly beside Anakin's speeder, she nearly doubled back. It was Obi-Wan Kenobi, driving a rented speeder and looking very grim. She forced herself not to swallow as she slammed the lid of the trunk down and hurried back to Anakin with the box.

"Thanks, love," said Anakin, straightening and cracking the muscles in his neck, which had cricked up. That's when he saw Obi-Wan, now striding toward them, glancing everywhere at once, but not, as of yet, without the grim expression. Anakin noted his presence, but did not appear surprised, nor did he do a double take, which led Padmé to believe that they'd already met. That, at least, was a relief, solidified even more when Obi-Wan leapt right in without anything in the way of a greeting.

"I heard if you disconnect the battery module, it should still run, just so long as the battery remains connected to the main power source." He inclined his head toward Padmé, then bent down to inspect the engine alongside Anakin.

"That's what I'm trying to do," was Anakin's grim answer as he grunted and tried to reach further into the engine compartment. "But they don't exactly make this model _easy_ to fix."

"I maintain the inventor was on crack when he designed it."

"You'd convince me." A moment of silence, then, "Got it." To which Obi-Wan promptly handed Anakin a wrench, like they'd done it a million times before. And another moment of silence before, "Damn it."

"Ani!"

"Sorry, love."

Like _they_ had done _that_ a million times. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow but said anothing. More silence reigned, broken only by Leia's choked crying as she woke up to find neither of her parents there. Anakin raised his head, but Padmé was already starting toward Leia before he could think of saying anything.

More silence. Anakin stuck his head back down into the engine compartment, every once in a while reached toward Obi-Wan for a tool, which his former Master promptly gave him. Their actions were fluid. No words were spoken. They just _knew_. And all the while, Leia's quiet gurgling and Padmé's soft whispers pervaded over all. It was almost peaceful, if they hadn't been in the center of a chaotic service station.

At last, Anakin pulled his head up, whacking it on the underside of a piece of machinery as he did so. A string of curses followed, well deserved, to be sure, for Padmé said nothing, only covered Leia's head under her hand as if protecting the child's ears from the curses of her father. Obi-Wan collected the tools while Anakin rubbed the back of his head with one hand and his temples with the other. He blinked a few times, then glanced back at Padmé, who raised her eyebrow.

"I think that should do it," he said with a deep breath. "And the moment we get home, I'm putting this piece of crap up on the classifieds."

"Ani…"

"Well it's true."

And Padmé said nothing, either because she didn't want to argue, or because she knew it was true as well.

"In the meantime, I think you've had enough stress for one day. I'll drive it home, if you drive mine. Don't worry about moving Leia's carry-seat. It's not like she's going to die if she rides with me." He had an evil look on his face, which forced Padmé to narrow her eyes at him. He ignored her. "Obi-Wan will follow. I invited him to dinner." As if it were already decided, which it was. Padmé didn't mind. She'd always liked Master Kenobi.

"Fine," she said simply, as she handed Leia into the arms of her father and started walking back toward Anakin's speeder. "And when we get home, I'm leaving you two to take care of my daughter while _I_ take care of myself… in a bubble bath." There was no room for excuses, and she smoothly ascended into the speeder, a bit _too_ smoothly, or so Anakin noted when he saw the naughty look she sent his way. He rolled his eyes, ignoring it, as the radio blared to life and Padmé roared off, grinding gears left and right. Purposefully, of course, because Anakin _knew_ she could drive stick. He worked his jaw and spun away, back to the Colbert, where he buckled Leia back in her carry-seat.

"Back to your place, then?" asked Obi-Wan when Anakin straightened back up.

"Not quite yet," answered the young man, as if he'd just decided. He reached down into the cockpit of the Colbert and located Padmé's list, which she had left. He waved it in front of Obi-Wan's face. "I say we give her some time alone and finish this off for her."

"Are you _serious_?" asked Obi-Wan, the shock now _very_ clear on his face.

"Of course. It's not like I've been in a cave for the past year. I _know_ how to shop."

"Well, if you're convinced she won't kill you, I'm all in. It'll be just like old times. You, me, and a battle on our hands."

"The shopping won't be the biggest battle." Anakin motioned toward Leia, who was starting to doze off again.

"Oh, great, fatherhood. I almost forgot." Obi-Wan's voice was laced with sarcasm as he spun away, back toward his own speeder. But just as Anakin turned to get into the Colbert, Obi-Wan glanced back. "You know, Padmé's right. She looks like you."

Anakin didn't quite know what to say to that.

The shopping went well, or as well as can be expected from two grown men taking care of an infant. It went faster than Anakin had originally thought. Padmé sorted her lists very carefully, in such a way that if he entered one end of the supermarket, he could go through the list top to bottom without having to backtrack. It was convenient.

Early on in their shopping expedition, a routine was devised. Anakin would locate the items on the list, and Obi-Wan would carry the diaper bag and Leia. It worked well. Back at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Obi-Wan had a reputation for working well with the infants in their care. He was like a big furry teddy bear to them. At least, that's what Anakin said. Obi-Wan _hated_ that. But it came in handy now. Leia spent the entire shopping trip staring at him, and Obi-Wan did an amazing job of ignoring her for the most part.

Padmé called once, to see where they were. She sounded relaxed, or so Anakin told Obi-Wan when he got off the line. He told her they were in a bar, catching up on old times, and Padmé must have seen through that, because she hadn't freaked out. She was too smart.

When their shopping was done, Obi-Wan had taken the items back to the speeders while Anakin took Leia to the changing room. It was a strange thing, and he'd never done it before. He was amazed that there was an actual changing table in the men's restroom. He got some stares, a few knowing nods, and more than one smirk, but he didn't care. He cooed over Leia like any father would, and she gurgled in reply.

When they got back to the Skywalker "Estate", as Padmé liked to call it, it was late. The sun was starting to go down, casting long shadows all over the land which Anakin realized with startling brilliance, belonged to _them_, him and Padmé. He'd never really thought of that before. It made him feel proud. It made him feel happy to be alive. And when he glanced back at Leia, sleeping in the back seat, it made him feel like he'd just conquered the galaxy.

Padmé was curled up on the porch swing when they pulled up. She was wrapped in a blanket, sipping a cup of tea and gazing out at the sunset. Her hair was loose, left to air-dry, which she never did. She claimed it got too frizzy. Anakin loved it that way. When she saw them stop in front of the house, she smiled, her face aglow, and stood up, leaving her tea and the blanket. She was wearing a sundress, her skin golden in the dying light, and Anakin swore that whatever he'd been rhapsodized with before, it no longer mattered, because _this_ was the most beautiful woman in the world.

"You missed a lovely bubble bath, Ani," called out Padmé as he got out of his speeder. He shot her a grin.

"I can just imagine. Did you leave any hot water?"

"Maybe. A little."

Anakin shook his head and opened up the trunk of his speeder to start unloading their loot. Obi-Wan stayed out of the conversation as he did likewise. They'd filled both speeders, and Anakin honestly wondered how Padmé had thought to bring home all the groceries in the Colbert, without his help.

"Did you wear my baby out?" asked Padmé, stepping lightly down the stairs toward the Colbert.

"She's exhausted," answered Anakin, leaving the trunk open as he went around to unbuckle Leia's carry-seat. "She's ready for bed." He kissed the top of Leia's head, then carefully extricated the carry-seat and handed it to Padmé, along with the diaper bag. As he turned back to get the things out of the trunk, Padmé gently grabbed his hand to stop him.

"Thank you," she whispered, and the depth of her words and the look in her eyes told Anakin that she deeply _truly_ meant it. She leaned up for a kiss and Anakin quickly closed the distance and met her lips. It was a passionate kiss, but not fiery. It was the type of kiss that two people madly in love would share in passing, just to prove to each other that they belonged to the other wholly and completely. Obi-Wan saw it. Obi-Wan almost didn't _want_ to see it. But he did, and something in him started to soften.

Padmé said nothing about the grocery shopping. She fed Leia and put her to bed, then returned and wrangled the two men into helping her put the loot away. Anakin watched her the entire time to see her reaction. For the most part, there was no evidence that she was displeased. Occasionally, there would be an item that merited a small smile from her, and a glance at Anakin, which is all he needed to know it wasn't the right thing he'd gotten. But she said nothing. What he got, they would eat, regardless of whether it was the _exact_ thing she'd needed. He was a good grocery shopper. He looked for deals and tried hard to get what Padmé would want him to get. She had no reason to doubt him, and did not doubt him now.

When everything was stowed, Padmé shoved the men out of the kitchen and had them sit down at the table, which was already set. Then she brought out a massive steak, which she set in front of Anakin, followed by all sorts of food that made Anakin's mouth water just looking at. It was clear she'd taken full advantage of her time alone, and the look on her face told him that she was very pleased with what she'd done. Anakin glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, then carefully lifted his knife and set about cutting up the steak.

The meal was fair. It was obvious how much time and attention Padmé had lavished on it, and as a result, neither of the men said anything. They ate and swallowed, and drunk plenty of beer to wash it down. The steak wasn't too bad. It was a little hard, and more than a little deprived of flavor, but the gravy, obviously made from a package, covered that up. The potatoes weren't cooked enough, nor were the vegetables, but Anakin was fond of crunchy vegetables, so he didn't mind. Obi-Wan was gracious enough to ask for seconds, to which Padmé beamed.

When the meal was over, Padmé insisted that the men sit down and leave her to clean up, so they did just that. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow as they were forced to leave the dining room, but that was the last mention made to that particular meal. It was quickly forgotten.

The rest of the evening was one of relaxation and conversation. As Padmé was finishing up in the kitchen, Leia started to fuss, so Anakin went and brought her into the sitting room, where he then proceeded to rock her back to sleep, talking to her all the while. He and Obi-Wan spoke of trivial things, such as the younglings back on Coruscant, and the work Anakin was doing Tynardo, and how Padmé's first garden had been a success. Anakin dwelt on that topic more than the others. He described the tomatoes and the hot peppers, and how Padmé's salsa was the best he'd tasted, and the mere look on his face told Obi-Wan it wasn't a lie. The general assumption was that Padmé couldn't cook worth anything, except when it came to salsa.

Then Padmé came, and brought with her three glasses of champagne, which were graciously accepted. And then the topic of conversation turned to Leia, who was trying to grab at Anakin's shoulder-length hair, to no avail. The proud parents were more than willing to speak about their daughter, and then Anakin handed her over to Obi-Wan, which was enough to settle Leia down. She again proceeded to stare, which made them all laugh, and emboldened by their laughter, Leia reached up and grabbed at Obi-Wan's beard, which fascinated her. Obi-Wan laughed all the harder at that, revealing the laugh wrinkles Anakin had always known were there.

Then Padmé yawned and leaned her head on Anakin's chest while he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She sighed contentedly, and he stroked her hair, kissing the top of her head as she started to doze off. Then Leia, too, fell asleep in Obi-Wan's arms, and the two Jedi began to speak of deeper topics as the night wore on. And then the clock was striking midnight.

"I'd better be getting back," said Obi-Wan quietly, not wishing to disturb the sleeping women.

"You can stay here if you want," offered Anakin.

"I already paid for my room at the Command Center. Thanks, though."

Then they stood up, almost at the same time. Anakin lifted his arm off of Padmé's shoulder and gently lowered her to the couch, adjusting a pillow under he head. Then he took Leia from Obi-Wan's arms and followed his former Master toward the front door. Obi-Wan stepped out and Anakin followed, taking a deep breath of the night air.

"Thanks for coming, Master," he said finally, and Obi-Wan turned back to him.

"Any time, my old friend."

"I know this is a lot to take in. I know you're probably pretty mad at me right now. And I don't blame you. But just know that… I'm happy here. I'm at peace. I wouldn't trade this for anything."

"Nor should you have to," was Obi-Wan's simple answer, and he smiled. "I'm proud of you, Anakin. I didn't think I would be, but I am. You've proven something to yourself, and to me. I never expected this from you, but I guess that's the difference between you and everyone else. You can _love_, and you _have_, despite everything. And you have a beautiful wife and a beautiful daughter. You _should_ be happy."

Anakin smiled in response, then slapped Obi-Wan on the shoulder.

"Drive safe, old man," he said, then Obi-Wan laughed and started toward his speeder with a wave of his hand.

Anakin put Leia in her crib first thing. Then he went through the house, like he did every night. Padmé had cleaned pretty well, probably while he and Obi-Wan were shopping, so there wasn't much to put away. He locked the doors, turned off the lights, made sure his speeder was right where he'd left it, then returned to the sitting room. He knelt down by the couch where Padmé lay and gently brushed a hand down her face. She stirred, her eyes opening just slightly, blurry from sleep.

"Did Obi-Wan leave?" she whispered.

Anakin nodded, then kissed her forehead, brushing a hand through her hair.

"Come on, sweetheart. Time for bed."

Padmé nodded without a word and reached up to wrap an arm around Anakin's neck. He lifted her easily into his arms, her head falling against his shoulder, then started toward their bedroom. He waved his hand slightly and used his small grasp of the Force to turn off the lights. Then he kissed Padmé's forehead again and carried her down the hall, glancing in on Leia once more as he went.

Padmé was waking up by the time Anakin shut their bedroom door, and therefore was able to be set down on her feet without falling over. She stifled a yawn and made for the closet while Anakin stripped down to his boxer shorts and headed for the bathroom. He was in bed and starting to fall asleep by the time Padmé finally joined him. She yawned again, then slipped under the covers and nuzzled up next to him. Anakin's arm went automatically around her shoulders, then he stopped. He was awake almost instantly, though he did his best not to make it seem noticeable. With his hand, he felt the straps of her nightgown, and the fabric, realizing with a start that she was wearing one of her more... _erotic_ nightgowns. The one that was thin enough to see through, with the straps that randomly slipped off her shoulders. It almost didn't seem right, when Obi-Wan had been in the house only a short while before. And their sex life had been almost nonexistent ever since Leia was born. It seemed so…

… right.

Yes, it was right. That's what Anakin kept telling himself. Of course it was right.

So, letting instinct take over, Anakin slowly pulled the nightgown strap over Padmé's shoulder, then slid his hand over her waist and down to her hips, and then her thigh, and in response, she wrapped her arms tightly around him, drawing herself closer. Then Anakin kissed her neck, ever so slowly, and all the way down her arm. Padmé made a small noise, and that was all Anakin needed.


End file.
